Sunday, June 26, 2011

'Pengajian Tinggi ke Arah Transformasi Negara'


YB. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Menteri Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia

'PENGAJIAN TINGGI KE ARAH TRANSFORMASI NEGARA'

KEMENTERIAN Pengajian Tinggi menumpukan kepada 10 misi utama yang disasarkan kepada institusi pengajian tinggi negara iaitu:
  • Memperkasakan institusi pengajian tinggi
  • Kualiti tenaga akademik
  • Memartabatkan akademik dan penubuhan Majlis Profesor Negara
  • Peningkatan kegiatan penyelidikan dan pembangunan
  • Program pengantarabangsaan
  • Pembangunan kualiti pelajar
  • Kebolehpasaran graduan
  • Pelan transformasi politeknik
  • Transformasi kolej komuniti dan pembelajaran sepanjang hayat
  • Program transformasi institut pengajian tinggi swasta

Sumber:

'PENGAJIAN TINGGI KE ARAH TRANSFORMASI NEGARA'
http://www.ump.edu.my/files/speeches/Amanat-Tahun-Baharu-2011-KPT-17Jan2011.pdf

'AMANAT 2011 MENTERI PENGAJIAN TINGGI MALAYSIA'
http://www.pms.edu.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=122

PANDUAN AMALAN PENGAJARAN & PEMBELAJARAN BERKESAN
http://www.portal.mohe.gov.my/portal/page/portal/ExtPortal/MOHE_MAIN_PAGE/Information/Bitara/BITARA%20Jan%202011fd.pdf

Rancangan Malaysia ke-10
http://www.pmo.gov.my/dokumenattached/RMK/RMK10_Mds.pdf



Friday, April 22, 2011

Cukai Tanah UUM


(22 April 2011)

Tolak Lima Kali Rayuan UUM

Oleh SITI MAISARAH SHEIKH RAHIM
pengarang@utusan.com.my

Mohamed Khaled Nordin bermesra bersama para penerima sijil pada Majlis Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang Agensi Kelayakan Malaysia 2010 di Petaling Jaya, semalam. - UTUSAN/Azrul Edham Mohd. Aminuddin

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KUALA LUMPUR 21 April - Tindakan kerajaan Pas Kedah menolak lima kali rayuan Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) bagi menyambung semula pemberian rebat cukai tanah menggambarkan sikap sebenar kepimpinan negeri itu dalam memberi sumbangan ilmu kepada rakyat.

Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin berkata, institusi pengajian tinggi merupakan satu keperluan untuk rakyat dan ia perlu dipastikan terus beroperasi. Dalam konteks itu jelasnya, Kerajaan Pusat sedaya upaya memberi bantuan supaya UUM dapat bergerak serta diuruskan dengan baik dan kini tiba giliran kerajaan negeri memberi sedikit bantuan.

"Kalau kerajaan Pas Kedah tidak mahu (bantu), kita hendak buat macam mana, tetapi kita tahulah sikap dia (kerajaan Pas Kedah). Kita tidak minta banyak, cuma sumbangan mereka untuk memberi ilmu kepada rakyat. Ini ujian kepada mereka," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian selepas menyampaikan anugerah perkhidmatan cemerlang kepada 24 kakitangan Agensi Kelayakan Malaysia (MQA) di sini hari ini. Menurut Mohamed Khaled, kementerian memberi peruntukan sebanyak RM300 juta setahun kepada universiti itu bagi membiayai segala keperluan dan perbelanjaan pengurusannya.

Justeru itu katanya, penyelesaian rebat cukai tanah itu tidak harus dibebankan kepada Kerajaan Pusat kerana perkara itu adalah antara universiti tersebut dengan kerajaan negeri. "Ini soal UUM yang kena bayar (cukai tanah) kepada kerajaan negeri, bukan bererti boleh diberi tanggungjawab kepada Kerajaan Pusat. Soalnya sekarang sama ada kerajaan Pas Kedah hendak beri (rebat) atau tidak," jelas beliau.

UUM semalam sudah menghantar surat rayuan kepada Menteri Besar Kedah, Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak bagi memohon menyambung semula pemberian rebat cukai tanah. Surat itu meminta kerajaan negeri menimbang agar cukai tanah RM100,000 setahun yang berakhir pada 2008 dilanjutkan lagi demi kepentingan kedua-dua pihak.

UUM sebelum ini pernah membuat lima kali rayuan berhubung lanjutan rebat iaitu dua kali pada 2009 dan tiga kali pada 2010, namun kesemuanya tidak dilayan.


Thursday, March 24, 2011

SPM Results: MALAYSIA

Comment:

With the new year, this time around, if you say I got an 'A', it can means A, A+, or A- ... But who cares, an A is an A... But, the reality is, * 'Are Malaysian students getting smarter?' or * 'Is it the system (education grading system) that out smart them?'

1- Creative and innovative teaching and learning --> Produce creative and innovative thinking students (as opposed to students that memorized notes to pass their exams).
2- Problem solving techniques --> Produce students with the necessary skills to effectively solve problems and provide solutions (as opposed to students who produce 'script answers' to exam questions).
3- Effective 'social skills' --> Produce self-confidence students, and being able to effectively socialized in a positive way, as opposed to students that keep to themselves, shy, lack confidence, self-interests or selfish, and do not know how to interact with friends and peers.
4- Leadership skills --> Produce students with the quality of 'how to lead' and also be a 'good supporters and followers.' This is learnt directy and indirectly from co-curriculum activities and clubs (but with the recent budget cuts on clubs and other positive social activities, how far these students can learn positive leadership skills ?).

Hence, the government and school authorities need to take ALL this into considerations, and not just the final exam paper results (in PMR, SPM, STPM, college exams, etc.)!... (If they are sincerely serious in developing the youths, and constantly emphasized that the youths are the backbone of the country).

SPM results: 9,239 straight As
Submitted by shaza on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
Local : SMK Assunta : SPM results

Performance improves after 10-subject limit implemented last year
Ee Ann Nee
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 13:04:00

JUBILATION: SMK Assunta students celebrate after getting their SPM results this morning — Pic: Shahir Omar

PUTRAJAYA: A total of 9,239 candidates obtained distinction (A+, A, A-) in all subjects in the 2010 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, compared to 7,987 candidates in 2009. Education ministry director-general Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mahmud, who announced the results here this morning, said it was the best SPM result in four years, just like last year’s UPSR and PMR examinations. He said students’ performance in the examination was encouraging and showed improvement in terms of quality and quantity.

“The move to limit each SPM candidate to a maximum of 10 subjects, which was implemented last year, gave students the opportunity to focus on their studies and work on their chosen subjects in a more intensive and comprehensive way.” A total of 363 candidates from government schools scored straight A+ or Super Distinction in the examination, compared to 214 candidates in 2009.

Overall, the Average National Grade (GPN) rose to 5.19 from 5.34 in 2009. Abdul Ghafar said the gap between urban and rural students inched closer this time around with the GPN reduced by 0.18 from 2009. “Candidates from rural areas fared better than candidates in urban areas in Bahasa Melayu and Science. "However, efforts need to be stepped up to close the gap between candidates in rural and urban areas especially in English, History, Mathematics, Islamic Education and Moral Studies.”

A total of 368,559 candidates or 91.2 per cent obtained their SPM certificates this year compared to 364,046 in 2009. This year, candidates were also able obtain their results through SMS, which would be provided until midnight on March 30.

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http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0324&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_01.htm (24 March 2011)

SPM terbaik dalam 4 tahun
Oleh THOMAS CHONG
pengarang@utusan.com.my

Abd. Ghaffar Mahmud menunjukkan keputusan peperiksaan SPM pada sidang media di Putrajaya, semalam.

PUTRAJAYA 23 Mac - Keputusan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2010 adalah yang terbaik dalam empat tahun ini dengan seramai 9,239 orang atau 2.28 peratus calon sekolah Kementerian Pelajaran memperoleh gred cemerlang ( A+,A dan A-) dalam semua mata pelajaran yang diduduki.

Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, Datuk Abd. Ghafar Mahmud berkata, daripada jumlah tersebut, seramai 363 calon berjaya mendapat gred cemerlang tertinggi iaitu A+ dalam semua mata pelajaran. ''Sebanyak 368,559 orang atau 91.2 peratus calon berjaya mendapat sijil berbanding 90.8 peratus calon pada tahun lalu.

''Sebanyak 81 daripada 103 mata pelajaran telah menunjukkan peningkatan prestasi yang menggalakkan berdasarkan Gred Purata Mata Pelajaran (GPMP)," katanya ketika mengumumkan analisis keputusan SPM 2010 di sini hari ini.

Mengenai pelajar terbaik, beliau berkata, seramai empat calon berjaya mendapat A+ dalam kesemua 12 mata pelajaran yang diambil dan 47 lagi mendapat A+ dalam semua 11 mata pelajaran. ''Terdapat 207 calon yang mendapat A+ dalam semua 10 mata pelajaran dan 105 calon mendapat A+ dalam semua sembilan mata pelajaran," katanya, Abd Ghafar berkata, sebahagian besar sekolah di Malaysia dikategorikan dalam pencapaian sekolah cemerlang, baik dan memuaskan.

''Hanya sebilangan kecil iaitu 66 buah sekolah atau 3.1 peratus sahaja yang memperoleh pencapaian berpotensi," katanya. Menurutnya, seramai tujuh calon berkeperluan khas termasuk yang rabun, buta dan pekak berjaya mendapat keputusan cemerlang bagi semua mata pelajaran. ''Seorang calon rabun telah berjaya mendapat lapan A+ dan tiga A dalam 11 mata pelajaran yang diduduki dan seorang lagi calon buta mendapat enam A+, tiga A dan satu A-," katanya. Tambahnya, pelajar paling cemerlang dalam SPM 2010 akan diraikan oleh Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dalam satu majlis yang akan diadakan di Lembaga Peperiksaan di Kuala Lumpur pada 1 April ini.


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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Sample: Referee Letter !


Sample: REFEREE Letter

I have the pleasure to recommend Mr ABC for the application of PhD Endeavour Postgraduate Awards/Scholarships 2011. I have known the applicant personally both as an undergraduate and post-graduate student. During which time, he has shown tremendous interests in the acquisition of knowledge and critical thinking, where he took several subjects under me, and score highly above his peers.

Additionally, he also love research works, and has on several occasions produced some interesting articles published by our local university journals.

I therefore, highly recommended him to your institution, and support strongly his application for the scholarship award.

Professor Dr Hj Mabrur Daud XYZ
Dean, Faculty of Social science
University Technology XYZ
Tel: 03-2212 2212x, Fax: 03-2212 2212x

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AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS:


Endeavour Postgraduate Awards /Scholarships 2011
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/endeavour.cfm Also see,
http://www.deewr.gov.au/International/EndeavourAwards/Pages/Home.aspx

Note:
Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan are among the Asia countries ELIGIBLE for the Endeavour Postgraduate Awards/Scholarships.
[ http://www.deewr.gov.au/International/EndeavourAwards/Documents/ApplicantGuidelines.pdf ]

AusAID 2011: Australian Development Scholarships (ADS)
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/studyin.cfm

Note:
Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan are among the Asia countries NOT eligible for the ADS. [See, http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/eligiblecountries.cfm ]


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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Kolej Swasta di Malaysia akan dinilai

(18th January 2011)

Kolej swasta seluruh negara dinilai

Oleh NAZMIL NASIRUDDIN
pengarang@utusan.com.my

PUTRAJAYA 17 Jan. - Mulai tahun ini, Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi akan menilai semua kolej swasta seluruh negara melalui Sistem Pengukuran Kualiti dan Kesetaraan Kolej Swasta (MyQUEST) untuk memastikan tahap pendidikan ditawarkan memenuhi kriteria yang ditetapkan.

Menterinya, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin berkata, MyQUEST akan memainkan peranan mengukur tahap kualiti pendidikan keseluruhan 402 buah kolej swasta yang berdaftar dengan sektor pengajian tinggi. Menurutnya, pengukuran penarafan akan dibuat berdasarkan penilaian laporan kolej, laporan kluster dan laporan pelajar antarabangsa.

''Jika sebelum ini kita sudah mempunyai Sistem Penarafan Institusi Pengajian Tinggi (Setara) untuk mengukur pencapaian universiti dan kolej universiti, maka MyQUEST pula untuk kolej-kolej swasta sedia ada.

''Proses penarafan terhadap kolej-kolej swasta ini diperlukan untuk meningkatkan lagi kualiti institusi pengajian tinggi (IPT) negara," katanya. Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas Majlis Amanat Tahun Baru kepada warga kementerian itu di Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Putrajaya (PICC) di sini hari ini. Turut hadir Ketua Setiausaha kementerian, Abdul Rahim Md. Noor.

Majlis itu turut menyaksikan pelancaran MyQUEST dan Garis Panduan Intergriti Ahli Akademik IPT. Sementara itu, Mohamed Khaled berkata, untuk Sistem Penarafan Politeknik (Polyrate) yang akan dilaksanakan pada tahun ini pula, ia bertanggungjawab memastikan sistem pendidikan kemahiran peringkat tinggi menepati kualiti yang ditetapkan.

"Pihak perunding telah dilantik untuk membangunkan instrumen bagi mengumpul, menganalisis data dan maklumat serta membuat laporan penarafan politeknik. "Hasil keputusan kedua-dua penilaian MyQUEST dan Polyrate akan diketahui pada penghujung tahun ini," katanya.

Beliau berkata, langkah itu dapat memastikan sistem pengajian tinggi negara terus mencapai kualiti yang ditetapkan dan seterusnya menjadi hab pengajian tinggi global. Dalam perkembangan lain, beliau menggalakkan agar konsep Parlimen Mahasiswa diwujudkan di semua IPT sebagai platform untuk golongan mahasiswa mengutarakan pandangan berhubung isu-isu semasa dan berkaitan.

Beliau percaya Parlimen Mahasiswa mampu menjadi sebuah infrastruktur intelektual menggabungkan suara mahasiswa di semua peringkat kepimpinan sekiranya ia diteruskan ke peringkat kebangsaan. "Dengan ini, pelajar akan mendapat lebih ruang bagi menyuarakan pandangan dan idea untuk didengar oleh pihak kerajaan tanpa perlu melakukan demonstrasi dan sebagainya," katanya.



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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Mara belanja lebih RM670 juta : Pendidikan 2011

(29th December 2010)

Mara belanja lebih RM670 juta laksanakan projek pendidikan 2011

PUTRAJAYA 28 Dis. - Mara memperuntukkan lebih RM670 juta bagi melaksanakan pelbagai projek pendidikan sepanjang tahun depan. Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Datuk Seri Mohd. Shafie Apdal berkata, peruntukan sebanyak itu bukan hanya untuk membiayai projek-projek baru tetapi juga bagi menaiktaraf institusi pendidikan yang sedia di bawah Mara.

"Institusi pendidikan itu membabitkan Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM), Institut Kemahiran Mara (IKM), Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi Mara (KKTM), Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), GiatMara dan lain-lain yang berkaitan.

"Bagi pendidikan menengah di MRSM untuk tempoh dua tahun mulai tahun depan, Mara menerima RM457 juta bagi membiayai kos pembinaan serta penyediaan peralatan di beberapa buah MRSM," katanya. Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemui di pejabatnya di sini hari ini.

Dalam Rancangan Malaysia Ke-10 (RMK-10) untuk tempoh 2011 hingga 2012, Mara memperoleh peruntukan RM2.069 billion bagi membiayai 126 projek atau program. Daripada jumlah ini, RM1.747 bilion adalah untuk sektor pendidikan.

Mohd. Shafie berkata, bagi tahun yang sama, Mara juga memperuntukkan kira-kira RM400 juta bagi membiayai pelajar-pelajar tempatan yang berjaya melanjutkan pengajian mereka di universiti dalam dan juga luar negara.

"Peruntukan tersebut untuk membiayai 25,500 pelajar membabitkan program pengajian luar negara manakala 24,500 yang berjaya melanjutkan pengajian di universiti tempatan," katanya.

Selain itu, Mohd. Shafie berkata, Mara turut mewujudkan program khusus bagi membantu pelajar atau belia di bandar yang tercicir dari arus pendidikan atas pelbagai sebab. Menurutnya, program yang dikenali sebagai Program Perantisan Khas itu dikendalikan oleh GiatMara sejak 2009. "Mereka yang terpilih akan ditempatkan di entiti perniagaan atau perusahaan untuk mengikuti latihan kemahiran dalam tempoh enam bulan dalam bidang kemahiran yang ditetapkan," katanya.



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Saturday, December 25, 2010

UiTM on World Map: Coming Soon


Ticket to ivy league universities
2010/11/19
By Iylia Haris and Hanif Miswan

SHAH ALAM: Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) will offer 25 of its top graduates full scholarships to pursue post-graduate studies at the world’s best universities each year. Disclosing this in an interview with NST-UiTM Varsity Voice, Vice Chancellor Datuk Professor Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar said the project will take off next year with the first batch of students heading off in September 2011.

“Every year, we will offer 25 of our best graduates the opportunity of a lifetime to further their education at ivy league universities in the USA, the UK, Australia and other countries,” he said. Among the universities were Harvard, Princeton, Yale and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Oxford, Cambridge and the Imperial College of London, and the universities of Sydney and Melbourne in Australia.

However, enrolment would depend on whether the candidates from UiTM are able to meet the stringent pre-requisites at these universities. “Naturally, we hope to have as many of our graduates as possible in the world’s top universities, but we understand that places at schools of such calibre are limited and highly competitive,” said Sahol.

For this reason, potential candidates nominated by their respective faculties will be interviewed by a selection committee and also undergo training in various soft skills to ensure that they are ready to face any challenge.

The Vice Chancellor said UiTM would extend the offer to graduates from every faculty although priority would be given to students of science and technology. Successful candidates would be bonded for service as lecturers once they had completed their programmes.

This project is part of UiTM’s Program Meletak Melayu Dalam Peta Dunia (Putting Malays on the World Map Programme). It is also a reflection of Sahol’s vision to transform UiTM into a top university on par with the likes of Harvard within 20 years.

He stressed: “We want to be on the world map by acquiring the best academic credentials from the world’s best universities.”

“I hope in ten years’ time, we can become a world-class research university. People all over the world always mention Harvard as the pinnacle for education and it is not impossible for us to attain the same prestige inside of two decades,” he said.

However, while Harvard gives priority to the privileged to produce the best, UiTM will continue its policy of taking in the “...underprivileged but also produce the best”.

Added Sahol, “What sets us apart is that we welcome students from all walks of life and not just the rich, powerful and privileged.”


Comment:

A lot of 'strong words' in this article, but I hope he keeps his promise per se, and not just empty talk, like most politicians.

One thing I must point out is that, the majority of the varsity students in Malaysia are 'exam-oriented'. They don't usually publish articles in journals or write books, and they do not have strong analytical thinking problem-solving skills. Furthermore, they are 'shy' and lacks strong communication skills... I guess thats what Sahol are referring when he says 'soft skills.'


(Note: The above article is also available / published in the first issue of Varsity Voice, a monthly publication jointly produced by the New Straits Times and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) under the newspaper's Journalism on Campus project.


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